


Steven Diamond Universe

by Kittyinkypaws



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baby Steven Universe, Child Neglect, Gen, Homeworld (Steven Universe), Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Minor Injuries, Raised on homeworld, Steven Raised on Homeworld, Steven raised by the diamonds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:13:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23600623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kittyinkypaws/pseuds/Kittyinkypaws
Summary: When, at a very young age, Steven starts having dreams of the palanquin the Crystal Gems attempt to get to the bottom of it. Instead Steven is abducted by a mourning Blue Diamond.Based off the au where Steven is raised by the diamonds, instead of his family.Warning: Mentions of neglect and mistreatment (like how Pink Diamond was treated on Homeworld), as well as minor character death?
Comments: 76
Kudos: 227





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy! If anyone has any improvements feel free to let me know. This is my second fanfiction ever, so I’m sorry if the characters are out of character. I’ll do my best, if you have any complaints I’m happy to alter it. 
> 
> Basically I’m this au Blue Diamond visits earth early and abducts Steven.
> 
> Also help. I have the Crystal Gems song stuck in my head!

Steven kept having the same dream. _Every night_ the little child would wake up gasping and crying tears that were far to big for his small tubby face. Greg was at a complete loss. From what he could gather Steven wasn’t having a nightmare. So why was he crying? He described a funny ‘spider house’ and flowers, but didn’t seem to know how to go into any more details. He was only 4 and a half, but usually he was quite a chatterbox, once he got going. He always got a bit nervous around the gems, but was growing more comfortable with them. The other day he’d even sung that song he wrote about them! They’d started building a house for him and figured he could move in when he was 10 or something. The gems didn’t really understand age that much but said they’d love to have him move in whenever. Greg was glad they’d gotten used to him. When Steven was just barely a few months old they’d actually tried to kidnap him thinking he was still Rose or something. They _mostly_ understood that his son was his own person now at least.

Oh! The gems. Was this some kind of gem thing?

“Hey Steven, shall we go and see the Crystal Gems?” Greg suggested once they had eaten breakfast. The car wash wasn’t open yet anyway and he was worried Steven wasn’t getting enough sleep, what with all the crying. His eyes were a little red and had small dark circles under them. 

“Yes!” Steven smiled brightly. His tired eyes lit up with stars. Just like Rose when she got excited... they were so similar sometimes. It was lovely to have a piece of her. Steven was the best thing to ever happen to Greg. They’d been sleeping in the van again, he didn’t really want to borrow his friend’s house too much. He didn’t used to be concerned about it but now?  
Besides, growing up in a van would be amazing for Steven! He’d love it! Greg had always wanted such freedom and now Steven could have it! Greg would accept whatever Steven wanted to be, and he knew he’d love whoever his son became.

So they drove the short distance to the temple. It was glorious, even though it had plants growing around it and there were a few minor cracks. The skeleton of a house sat half in one pair of its many rough hands and half jutting out of the cliffside. Thankfully, with oddly perfect timing, Garnet appeared on the warp pad in a blinding flash of light just as they pulled up next to the steps.

“Hey Garnet!” Greg called as he and Steven left the van. “How goes it?” She peered at them. This was actually a surprise. She hadn’t been expecting them to arrive yet today. This was odd. Sure, she hadn’t purposely surveyed any futures this morning but she would have thought that this would have come up?

“Hello Greg.” She looked down at the child next to him. He was smiling brightly, his dark curly hair waving about a bit in the wind. He blushed a little when she looked directly at him, Garnet knew he was a bit shy though. His shirt was far too big but tucked in. Garnet noticed it was the same (or similar?) to the one he was wearing the last time they saw him. He still had that plaster from when he fell over too. He was so cute, especially his tiny little human hands. Her only weakness. “And hi Steven. How are you?” She returned his grin.

“Um... I’m good.” He looked anywhere but at the tall gem as he spoke, not as confident as he was when he sang.

“We actually called in because he’s been having nightmares. Well, strange dreams?” Pearl came out of the temple with Amethyst tagging behind her as the man spoke. “I wondered if it could be a gem thing?” 

“A ‘dream’?” Pearl asked, coming closer and waving at Steven. Amethyst wasn’t so shy and gave him a hug. 

“It’s kind of like... a vision you have. When you sleep.”

“Sounds... strange.” She admitted. “Gems don’t dream.”

“They do if you sleep!” Amethyst corrected happily. 

“What was he dreaming of?” Garnet had just glimpsed at a vision she didn’t like. Was that... Blue Diamond? Why had she only seen Blue and nothing else? She shuddered at the thought and clasped herself with her arms before letting them fall to her sides. 

“Tell ‘em Steve-o.” Steven blushed when all attention turned to him. But Dad had said that the gems were family, right?

“Umm... there was a broken spider house. And it was pink. A-and there were flowers. It looked like a W-wedding thingy?” 

“A gazebo?” Greg seemed pretty good at interpreting from shy Steven to English. Steven nodded, confirming the translation. Pearl paused for a second. Her gem flickered and showed an image of a palanquin.

“That! But more broke-y!” Steven got excited. “Can we see it?” His eyes continued to have stars in them.

“You can see it right now look!” Steven giggled

”silly Pearl! I mean can I see when it is in front of me?

”I-I...” Pearl’s image disappeared. “It’s just a gem thing, we’ve all seen it, it’s nothing.”

“I haven’t ever seen that before in my life.” Amethyst contradicted.

“No! You can’t go there!” Garnet burst out suddenly. Everyone just stared in stunned silence. Steven slipped behind Greg’s leg, a bit scared at her unexpected outburst. She walked close enough that Steven and Greg could almost touch her and looked directly at Steven. 

“Why not?” Greg asked, breaking the silence.

“Yeeeeeah. Why not?” Amethyst repeated. She didn’t answer. 

“Why can’t he know what he dream’s about? Why he keeps crying?” Greg usually would avoid gem stuff but he was worried for his son.   
“He’s a human child, they’re already crying all the time! Why do you think adult humans are always crazy?” Pearl tried to cover, only slightly nervously. Greg shot her a look that said ‘I’m not crazy!’ Which, ironically, made him look just a little crazy. Eventually Garnet drew the attention back to the task at hand.

“He can’t... he needs to know....” Garnet seemed to be having an internal struggle. “I can’t _see_ what will happen there. I don’t know if anyone will get hurt their or something!” It was so odd, like her future vision just couldn’t reach it. Like this shouldn’t be happening, at least not yet. 

“But what if... what if he has Roses memories?” Pearl suddenly piped up. “What if she’s not gone for good?” 

Greg frowned. Didn’t she understand that Steven wasn’t Rose. Sure, he didn’t understand how human children worked at all, but Steven was his own person.

“I wanna go!” Amethyst prompted, pulling a funny face to make Steven laugh.

“I ... think we should” Pearl added. She couldn’t say anything about _~~Pink Diamond~~_ , but what if it turned out that her beloved Rose wasn’t gone after all?

“I... fine.” Garnet accepted it unhappily. She had only found one uninterrupted future that she could clearly predict, which had no link to anything bad happening. She plucked Steven up from the ground and cradled him as she walked to the warp pad. Before Greg realised what was happening the other gems had followed. 

“Hey! Get back here with my son!”

“Don’t worry Greg, we are just going to Korea and back to check out the strange, possibly dangerous, ship that Steven saw!” Pearl excitedly announced. Much like the last time they'd captured Steven she was letting her devotion to Rose cloud her judgement. 

“See’ya Greg!” Amethyst gave him a little wave before they warped off. 

“Wait!” But he couldn’t warp, no matter how many times he stomped on the warp pad he was still trapped on this side of it. He’d have to wait for them to come back. They better take care of Steven. Would it make sense to get a plane ticket to Korea? No, it would take far too long, they’d be back before he got halfway there. Besides he hadn’t a clue where in Korea they were. He’d just have to wait. 

Waiting is excruciating though, and he’d be waiting a long, long time for Steven to return.

Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl (and Steven) arrived at their destination in a matter of seconds. “Here we are! The mountains! I think.... the ship is that way!” Pearl was deliriously excited, blinded by her passion for Rose. Surely _if_ he had Rose’s memories they would be arisen here! 

Steven looked quite happy. He’d giggled through the whole warp stream and insisted on running along ahead of the gems instead of being carried. The young hybrid tripped and stumbled a little on random rocks and clumps of flowers and weeds but insisted on walking himself. He declared that he was a ‘big boy’ and wanted to go on his own. He was so excited that Steven had completely forgotten to be shy. It was sweet watching him, all three gems wanted to go ‘aww’ at him but didn’t want to accidentally remind him to be bashful and quiet again. Eventually after about 10 minutes (it could have been faster if not for Steven) they reached a fence. It was very similar to the one that once surrounded the temple, if not identical. All the way down to the ‘keep out’ sign with an added ‘please’ in fancy writing. Though this one did have a translation on it. Steven giggled wildly at being carried over and kept going “shh!” As if they were children stealing cookies or leaving the time out corner. Amethyst happily played along, repeating “shh!” Every time he said to shush, causing him to ‘shh’ her and so on. Even Garnet was starting to ease up. Pearl was still hopeful that Steven would suddenly have Rose’s memories. It was a lot to ask, but she was suddenly desperate. 

Then Steven started crying. He knew he wasn’t hurt but at the very sight of tears he started bawling loudly. They started fussing and Garnet picked him up, removing her visor and pulling a silly face. Steven looked up at her with his own two eyes, for a second he calmed considerably, almost giggling. Then tears too big for his small eyes kept flowing and he began to cry aloud again. Could it be...?

“Blue Diamond!” Garnet sounded honestly surprised. This was unusual for her, they decided not to question it at a time like this though. Instead they focused their efforts of quietening Steven. If Blue Diamond really was near... oh.

“That’s what you showed Steven!” Amethyst whispered, as astonished as the little boy. “Who’s Blue Diamond?”

“Not someone we want to meet!” Pearl answered vaguely. “Help quieten Steven! We need to leave!” Garnet had put Steven down and was clutching her head.

“I... can’t see!” Her future vision was drawing a blank, likely due to her panic. 

“I should have done more...” a melancholic sad voice mourned, seemingly not far away. She continued on in this manner while the Crystal Gems remained frozen in place. Then she spoke again. “What are you doing over there?”

“I thought I heard someone, my Diamond.” A quiet voice announced.

“We need to leave NOW!” Hissed Pearl. But Garnet wasn’t moving, Amethyst wanted answers, Steven was bawling loudly now and Pearl herself had to keep herself from covering her mouth. First they’d speak of Blue and then the next that would be mentioned was _Pink_.

“What is it Pearl?” Another quiet voice, this one somehow more authoritative.

“Pearl?” Steven’s bawling subsided, though the tears didn’t. He stumbled forwards to the other side of the bushes...

And came face to... Umm... knee with a blue Pearl. 

“There appears to be a small human here, my Diamond. I have found a native” She spoke, after pulling an almost comical surprised face. Or _it could_ have been angry, her longs bangs covered her eyes perfectly, so it was rather difficult to decipher her expression. Then she turned and bowed in respect to the large figure encased in a dark blue coat next to the pink palanquin.

“Bring it here.” She demanded, still rather quiet but firm. 

Pearl, Amethyst and Garnet just watched in shock through the bushes as Steven followed the Blue Pearl to Blue Diamond herself. He would have run away; the lady terrified him, but Blue Pearl gripped his shoulders when she acknowledged he wasn’t planning on following. Tears continued to flow from his eyes, mirroring Blue’s tears almost exactly. He sniffed and stumbled all the way there. 

The Crystal Gems couldn’t do _anything_. They didn’t stand a chance against Blue Diamond if they decided to attack, so they just hoped desperately that she would disregard him as a human and allow him to leave. 

“How curious.” She didn’t bother to turn around. “I am impressed by humanities ability to survive in the wild.”

“I’m not in the w-wild, I’m not a tiger or a seagull! Let me go!” Steven begged helplessly. He was absolutely petrified by the towering figure of Blue Diamond. 

“What a strange planet.” She ignored Steven’s childish ramblings for her own adult-ish ramblings. “Where else would a being as fragile as a human live? Where a being as powerful as a _Diamond_... could perish?”

“I-I’m not fridge-isle!” Steven protested, though the tears and struggling in Blue Pearl’s strong grip would suggest otherwise. “Wh-what is pear-ish?” 

“Broken. Shattered. Killed.” The melancholic voice supplied, accompanied by more tears. “This is where it happened.”

“I’m sorry!” Steven’s fears diluted for a moment due to his natural compassion for others. 

“A human could not understand.”

“My Daddy lost someone special to him.” He continued. The gems cringed in the bushes. 

“Don’t day she was a gem....” Pearl pleaded.

“What’s going on?” Amethyst was at a complete loss. 

“It made him very sad. He said it’s hard to move on, but that I helped him feel better.” Steven said the last bit proudly, he didn’t know the lady his Daddy missed, his Mom, but he was glad he made him feel better. 

The gems just silently begged him to be quiet. Why’d he chosen now to suddenly be brave?

“You do?” She squished Steven between two fingers and lifted him closer. She peered at him, marvelling at the small creature in front of her. “It’s a shame. There is a geo-weapon incubating in your planet that will destroy everything.” 

“A gem-o weapon?” Steven seemed unfazed by the ‘destroy everything’ bit. The Crystal Gems however gasped. Something was going to destroy the earth?

“I need to get Steven! Please!” Amethyst begged. Garnet held her back.

“No! You don’t know what she’s capable of! She could hurt you, or Steven.”

“We can’t let her see us.” Garnet was sure of that. 

“Did the Crystal Gems put it there?” Steven asked innocently.

No. No no no no no....

“The. _Crystal gems_?” Spite dripped from her voice. She stared daggers at Steven, tears still dripping from all of their eyes. 

“Yes! Look, I’m a Crystal Gem too! I’m half magic!” He then proceeded to do the worst thing imaginable. He lifted his too big shirt to show the shiny gem beneath.

“A gem! Rose Quartz!?” Steven scrunched his eyes up at her voice. Had he upset this lady? “How DARE you come here. How DARE you pretend to be a human?” She demanded, squishing him harder. Steven squealed, not happy with having all the oxygen escape from his lungs. “How did you survive? How DARE you speak to me like you didn’t SHATTER HER!”

“Garnet? I think we need to save him now!” Pearl prompted.

“I AM human! Let me go! Please, that hurts!” His own tears began to flow with Blue’s. Blue Pearl remained uncaring on the ground, saluting emotionlessly. Where was his family? Why didn’t this lady like him? “Garnet! Amythest! P-Pearl?” 

“I’m going to shatter you! Like you deserve!” Blue Diamond had always thought that if she even found Rose Quartz, on the off chance that she lived, that she’d talk to her before she got to the punishment, let her explain. But now? She was seeing red.

Rose Quartz dared to show up. HERE of all places?

Rose Quartz had pretended to be human!

Rose Quartz had made a mockery of her one time too many.

“This is what you deserve!” She repeated, tugging at her gem to poof her. 

Only she didn’t poof. The gem came out. _Out_! It was inside a human. A _human_! 

Blue Diamond ignore the sudden rustle of bushes and choruses of “Nooo! Steven!” 

Her eyes fixated on them gem in her hand.

A Diamond. A **_Diamond_**.

“P-Pink?” She let the flesh stay in her hand while the gem rose. It became a familiar much missed form. “Pink!”

Then it changed. “R-Rose... you were Rose Quartz?”

Then it became smaller. The human. Only pink. It had his curly locks, his oversized shirt, his sandals. Everything. Just. Pink. 

“WHAAAAA?????” An odd colour Amethyst screamed from by her feet. 

“Put him DOWN!” A Pearl stood defensively next to her. The sobbing Ruby and Sapphire said not a word. 

“Rose Quartz... was Pink Diamond?” The quiet Blue Pearl questioned. 

“Pink?” Blue asked hopefully, tears streaming down hers (and everyone else’s) face. 

“She’s gone.” It sounded so lifeless, yet so powerful.

“Pink! Don’t play games! Why were you-“

“SHE’S GONE!!!” The shout shook the whole mountain, the already fallen palanquin seemed to implode slightly, and crumpled apart. The pink being walked on thin air to the collapsed child, who eagerly reached toward him. 

“You... want to be half human?” Blue continued to cry, wanting to drop the human but afraid of how Pink might react.

“I _am_ half human.” He declared, before lifting his counterpart off the palm of her hand and twirling him around and around until... they fused into one complete being. He laughed deliriously, crying simultaneously. 

“What is happening?” Amethyst cried out. 

“I found Pink.” Blue responded, not caring who these gems were.

“He’s not Pink! Please! He’s half human! Pink Diamond’s son!” Pearl knew she had nothing left to lose at this point. Garnet was non-existant, Amethyst was in complete shock and her one order, her one promise to Rose was now void. Steven was just barely together (oh she was so glad she didn’t remove his gem when he was a baby). 

“Half... human....” Blue Diamond studied the child intently. He grinned up at her, allowing the tears to flow. He didn’t have a clue what was going on but was still content with just sitting on this giant ladies hand at this point. “Oh Pink! I can’t believe it!” She hugged him close to her face, squishing him a bit. “You’ve been here all along!”

“Blue Diamond’s a shatterer! Don’t let her have Steven!” Ruby shouted. Sapphire stood stock still. Amethyst was struggling to catch up to what was happening.

“You won’t have to stay on this filthy planet any longer Pink! I mean... Steven. You can come and live on Homeworld with me! Come along Pearl!” Blue Diamond strifes towards her palanquin, Blue Pearl in tow. Steven just sat in her hand, shocked. Who was this ‘Pink’? Where was she taking him?

“Please p-put me down? I want my Dad! Or P-Pearl! Or Amethyst! Wh-where is Garnet?” He sobbed in her hand, the events around him finally catching up with the child. He was just so tired.... he just wanted to sleep... 

“I’m taking you Home Pi-Ugh... Steven.” The ship came to them, and Blue ducked to step inside. The ship took off...

“Nooooo! STEVEN!?” All the gems tried to reach out... but it was too late. They were already gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4 yo Steven finds himself on Homeworld.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter isn’t the best! I’ve had a lot going on (moving house and family unwell) and my writing seems to have suffered accordingly.  
> But I have better plans for the next one. I kinda wrote the first one on a whim when I couldn’t sleep so now that I have an idea of what I want to happen I should be able to write faster.  
> Hope you enjoy!

“Don’t be ridiculous! Pink is GONE! If this... creature is Rose Quartz in a strange form we should be SHATTERING her! Not putting her in the zoo, much less welcoming her into the palace!” A sharp voice demanded. Groggily Steven sat up. He was in a large room with four huge thrones, arranged in a pattern resembling a Diamond. The one at the bottom was rather small in comparison to the others. It looked like it wasn’t used much, if at all, but still decidedly fancy. 

“That’s just it, Rose _was_ Pink! She faked her shattering, I just know it! Look! Look at her gem!” A slightly familiar voice insisted, seemingly slightly irritated. It was still somber and quiet but now had a small fire of hope behind it, a kind of determination spurring it on.

“Where is it then?” Suddenly Steven recognised that the two voices came from above him, previously he hadn’t thought that the speakers would be quite so tall. He craned his neck to see two **huge** people, one yellow and the other blue, as if he’d drawn them when he could only find half his crayons. Though... _Amethyst_ was purple, wasn’t she. Maybe being different colours was normal? Perhaps Steven could change colours? He could be like a... a comedian.. no... well, just one of those lizards from TV.

One of the giants was the blue lady who he’d seen earlier, he was sure of it. She had soft hair and her sparking blue gem was on her chest, like Amethyst. Her dress went in a weird shape, blocking her feet from the small child’s view.   
The yellow lady picked him up distastefully, as if he were a rat or something. She had almost a cape for a skirt and she looked mad. Her hair was spiked and Steven suspected she wasn’t a hero like the ones in the comics, despite the cape. The young hybrid squealed at the cold fingers clutching him, all as tall as he was... maybe taller?

“L-let me g-go!” The Yellow lady scrutinised the struggling child in her grasp. It was small and humanoid in form, both texture and looks. To top it all of she was _Squishy_.

Yellow considered what was happening, conflicting thoughts rushing about her head

....so, Blue thought this was Pink? Pink was gone! If this was Rose Quartz she should be shattered! But just to make sure... she reached for his shirt and lifted it up. Immediately Steven froze. Was she taking out his gem? That had been so scary... she wouldn’t, right? “P-please d-don’t hurt me?” He begged.

The yellow lady with strange spiky hair narrowed her eyes and peered at the gem for what seemed like an impossible amount of time. Her face remained emotionless before she pulled a rather comical look of disgust.

“It’s a Quartz. A ROSE QUARTZ! I was right!” She screamed, ready to drop Steven. He wanted to clap his hands over his ears, unfortunately they were pinned to his sides.

“No! Look at the colour! Or take it out, you’ll see!” It was a very light pink, too light to be a Rose Quartz. It was a sort of bubblegum pink. Pink Diamond pink. Yellow let herself think for a minute. Who else could it be other than pink?

Yellow wracked her brain. Only her fallen fellow Diamond came to mind.

“Pink? Why are you in such a strange form? Why did you pretend to be shattered? Why are you doing a voice?!” She demanded. Steven winced. Did this lady not like him?

“I-I-I’m Steven. N-not P-Pink” 

“They said he was half organic or something.” Blue added, wiping her eyes. Soon Steven and yellow stopped crying too, which both were thankful for as it was hard to see with giant tears in your eyes.

“No. That simply can’t be true, gems don’t have organics! She’s just taken on a human form!” Yellow decided.

“Oh. That does make much more sense...” That Pearl had demanded that she was half human but that simply wasn’t possible, right? But she pulled out the gem... no, she just removed it from her human shell, that was it! Blue smiled down at Steven expectantly. “well... Pink, do you remember us?” 

“N-No. I’m Steven.” Then he remembered what his dad had drilled into him to say if he was lost and began reciting the whole spiel. “I’m Steven Court Universe” (Greg had thought that was close enough to his actual name as Steven could manage to still be recognisable. “I live at the car wash, in Beach City, with my Daddy. And...” he sniffed, with his own tears this time. “ I wanna go home!”

“Hmm. Perhaps her time on earth has traumatised her, made her think that she is a human. That’s why she’s taken a human form...” Yellow pondered.

“Ohh Pink, how awful!” Blue plucked Steven up next, squishing him to her cheek in what could possibly resemble a hug of some sort. “We must inform White Diamond!” Steven found himself (once more) confused. Why were all these gems named after colours? Steven knew all his colours. Red and Orange and Yellow and... orange and green. And blue. And now white too.

“Hmm... you must get into a more... suitable get up.” 

“Oh Yellow is right, you can’t see White like that!” 

“But she can’t see White, what was I thinking! She’s still in her head!” Yellow clutched her temples. White Diamond was never around, Blue was often off morning and Pink had pretended to be shattered! Why must she be left with all the work?

“But maybe she’ll come out to see Pink!” Yellow called for her Pearl who was silently saluting by her side. 

“Yes my Diamond.”

“Take Pink to her room, she doesn’t remember where it is.” Blue Diamond gestured for her Pearl to also join in.

“Of course my radiant Diamond. This way Pink Diamond.” 

“How did she survive though? We obliterated every gem on that planet!” The two Diamonds began bickering again as Blue Blue and Yellow Pearl lead Steven away. She didn’t gesture, just began walking. Yellow Pearl had a rather snooty air about her and pointy hair. Blue Diamond put Steven on the ground and continued to speak with Yellow.

“My name is Steven.”

“Yes, Pink Steven.” Steven giggled

“No, just Steven!”

“Of course, Just Steven.” Blue Pearl roller her eyes lovingly behind her bangs as she followed too. Classic Pink Diamond, coming up with obscure names. Only she could get Blue Pearl to speak more than a few words at a time. “Here you are Just Pink Steven.” Yellow Pearl gestured to the huge door leading to a tall pink room.

Steven giggled. Perhaps instead of being called ‘Just Pink Steven’ he could get her to call him something else. Hmm.... his stomach rumbled. What had his Dad said they were having for dinner that night? Microwave....

“Lasagna! Can you call me lasagna?” 

“Of course, Pink Lasagna.” Steven giggled uncontrollably. These strange ladies would believe his name was ‘lasagna’. 

“Make a dress suitable for Pink Diamond.” Insisted Yellow Pearl bossily, seemingly to no one.

Suddenly the ground opened and after a little scuffling a dress magically appeared. It had puffy sleeves and a hole for his stomach. Steven marvelled at the tiny creatures lurking underneath, but they all ran away quickly.

“T-thank you!” He called, remembering his manners. Daddy would be proud! Steven beamed.

Suddenly the small creatures were all over him, crawling though his hair, untucking his oversized shirt to peer at the gem underneath, in his mouth even, somehow bypassing his gappy line of teeth. They gushed about pink returning. The child giggled uncontrollably at the sensation of tiny creatures wriggling all over him.

“A Diamond does not need to say ‘thank you’” Yellow Pearl muttered, before blushing as Blue Pearl moved to stare at her. At least it appeared that way, her eyes were covered. 

“Blue would like you to put on the dress, my Pink Diamond.” Blue Pearl began, loud enough for Steven to hear.

“Okie! Pearl will like this! She likes pink!” Steven happily and innocently slipped on the jester like outfit, not realising that it would be a long, long time before he could see Pearl again. A long time indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little peek into what’s happening on back on earth!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy! I feel like a lot of this is reciting old lines from past episodes, (sorry) but I’ve added my own spin of course, though it wouldn’t ever live up to the original!

The warp pad chimed, breaking the nervous silence created by a very anxious father as he awaited his son’s return. As soon as the light shone Greg jumped up from his position slumped in the back of the truck, ready to yell at the gems for taking the child without permission. _His_ child.

However it seemed the gems weren’t even going to notice his presence. And Ruby and Sapphire were not together either. And... where was Steven? There was a distinct lack of the cheerful little hybrid in the group.

“Ok! We need to build a spaceship immediately, Amethyst? Check in your room for parts. Sapphire, Ruby? C-calm down! It’ll be ok... it will be ok. Right? **_Right? It will be ok? Won’t it?_** “ Pearl sounded close to panicking. She wasn’t quite sure if she was reassuring _herself_ or _the others_ that Steven would be ok. The others stared behind her with distraught expressions. Pearl turned slowly on her heal to see Greg standing behind her with a confused and angry expression. 

Oh dear... 

“Oh. Hi Greg” Pearl’s voice was awkward as she tried (and failed) to sound surprised that he was there, paired with a strained smile and blue blush on her cheeks. “Wow, Ugh.... We didn’t... forget about you.”

“Where is my son?! It’s been a whole DAY!” Greg _looked_ like he had been there for more than a day; his long, thinning hair was a complete mess, his clothes were crumpled and his van, which was still parked on the cliff next to the temple, was littered with rubbish as if he’d eaten there. It seemed the Universes were prone to stress eating because there was more wrappers than would be expected. Well, that or he was just really messy.  
The sun had set long ago, leaving behind a few twinkling stars.  
Had they really just spent a whole day there, wallowing in worried silence until Amethyst had plucked up the courage to guide them home?

“I went to the car wash during day but you still weren’t back! And I waited and waited and now it’s night! It’s way past his bedtime! Wait...” Greg peered at all the gems. None had his little son with them. He’d almost forgotten... what kind of a father was he? “Where is Steven? What did you do to him?” Ruby was quick to defend her team.

“Do to him?” Ruby growled in anger. “WE didn’t do anything to him! It was all Blue Diamond!” Her feet burned furiously underneath her for a second, before subsiding.

Sapphire was sobbing in pure anger, a single tear line streaming down her face constantly. Yay she was the calm one, wasn’t she? Amethyst actually looked the calmest, but if you looked closely you could see in her eyes that she was a little shaken. She was clearly in shock.

Pearl looked decidedly frazzled too, all shaken and worried. 

“What is going on?!” Greg was panicking too, his love for Steven the only thing somehow preventing him from having a full on heart attack on the spot.

“G-Greg... there’s no easy way to say this but...” Pearl began. She didn’t even try to continue. 

“Steven got kidnapped by Blue Diamond!” Sappy snapped furiously. Apparently there was an easy way to say it. “And I didn’t do anything because I was angry at Rose. Pink Diamond. WHATEVER I should call her! Maybe she has a _third_ secret identity!?” She slumped. “I just... stood there. Because she LIED TO US!”

“Sapphire, we all just stood there!” Ruby comforted, but Sapphire shrugged away from her. 

“She lied about **_everything_**! She held our hand, looked us _right in the eyes_ and told us to never question who we are as Garnet!” She was furious. The ground froze under her long skirt. Ruby blinked. “We never questioned ourselves, **_or her_**!”

“We couldn’t have known!” Ruby countered, but Sapphire was still upset. 

“No! You couldn’t have known, you never know what’s going on! That’s what I’m for!”

Ruby frowned with worry, looking only a smidge hurt. “Sapphire-“

Was she saying their fusion was a lie?

That they should question their fusion?

That they should... stop being Garnet?

“But I never looked into her! I trusted her! I let her make fools of us all! And _now_ they’ve taken Steven!” She picked up her skirts in a huff and walked toward the warp pad, which they hadn’t even noticed they had drifted off of. 

“Please! We can just stay calm. And-and talk about this, right? We’ll get Steven back! I know it! Let’s just... talk?!” That set Sapphire off. How could they just _talk off_ something this big? 

“Talk? About how are relationship is based on a lie? About how Steven is gone off into SPACE with a SHATTERER?” She took a shaky breath, the ground around her cold ice. “ What else is there to say?” And then she warped off to places unknown. 

“Ruby? I-I’m sorry, are you ok?” Pearl asked. This was her fault, she should have told them. But she couldn’t. The gag order, it stopped her. She literally could not say the words ‘Rose was Pink Diamond’ without covering her mouth. Now it was out she could say it all she wanted. For now though she had to try and sort this out without freaking out herself.

“What is going on?!” Greg asked, cutting the tension. “Steven was _KIDNAPPED_? Call the police! I-I need to get him back! He’s only 4!” He pulled at his hair in frustration and panic.

“The police can’t do anything, Steven’s in space.” Amethyst bluntly explained.

“WHAT!?” Greg fell into a sitting position. His son was gone. Gone gone gone. Perhaps forever? He couldn’t lose Steven. Not like he’d lost Rose. Accept this wasn’t even like that. Rose had chosen to go, Steven was kidnapped by aliens, apparently! 

“G-Greg. I should go find Sapphire and make sure she is ok. You and Amethyst look after Ruby.” Ruby was on her knees, almost in a begging position, crying for Sapphire.

“Not until you tell me how we can get my son back!” Pearl somehow managed to look him right in the eye.

“At the moment.... I’m not sure if we can.” Pearl had lost Rose, now she’d lost Steven. She’d lost her secret, Sapphire (and therefore Garnet), she’d lost almost everything that was important to her! It was taking all her effort not to freak out. For now she needed Sapphire and Ruby back together, they’d have an idea, Garnet always knew what to do. “We need Garnet. Then we... might have a chance.” 

“What? M-might?” Greg repeated, he was bawling silently now, letting the information sink in. He clutched at his heart and almost hyperventilated. Was he panicking? Angry? Sad? A little bit of all three, perhaps? “You _let them_ kidnap him!” 

“We’ll get him back. We **have** to...” Pearl promised, before stepping onto the cold crystal warp pad and disappearing in a flash of blue light. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I’m still pretty new at this, so any constructive criticism is appreciated! Sorry if the characterisation is a bit off, I tried lol.   
> Hope that you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven gets to meet White Diamond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter (I think it’s shorter anyway?) but I’m planning on posting the next one today too, so hopefully that’ll make up for it.  
> Hope you enjoy!  
> (Also Amethyst named and gave Steven MC Bear-Bear in this fic, I can’t remember if that’s cannon or not? It was a sweet idea though, so I included it.)

“Pink Diamond. Your presence is required.” This new gem looked like Pearl, only she was grey and had hurt her eye. Steven didn’t have any plasters with him, but maybe someone else did? Perhaps he could ask the little blue lady, she seemed very quiet but very nice too. He’d been in the pink room awhile. It was very lonely. The giant Blue and Yellow ladies hadn’t come back, neither had the small ones. Steven wished he had his teddy Amethyst won for him, MC bear-bear. He hadn’t named it, but liked the name even though he wasn’t sure what ‘MC’ meant. Was that the bear’s first name, like his was ‘Steven’? Only... everyone here called him ‘Pink’ like this grey lady. Maybe it was a nickname? Dad sometimes called him ‘Stchew-ball’, and Amethyst liked to call him ‘Ste-man’. Pink was a little far from Steven though.

“Hello!” He squeaked. This lady’s face was a bit scary, to be honest. He was told not to stare but _she_ was peering at him lots. She held her arms at odd angles, as if she were shrugging. Her smile looked like a little U.  
Suddenly she moved forward and encased Steven in a greyish white bubble. It was scary too, but very cool at the same time.

“Where are we going?” She didn’t respond at all, only popped the bubble and disappeared. “Hey! Wait!” He was somewhere new now. A big room, very big. It was taller than the temple, where the gems lived even.

“Pink!” Steven turned around. Was he Pink? Everyone was calling him that? Pearl sometimes called him Rose, though that seemed like an accident as she always said ‘oops’ after, blushing blue.

Wow. This lady was huge. 

She was white, brighter than the sun or the Van’s headlights. She had a superhero cape, just like in his comics. But the rest of her was very sinister looking, her smile just a tad off of sincere. Her hair was spikey as if she were in a cartoon and had been touching electrics. Steven stepped back, only the wall wouldn’t let him through like it did that Grey lady.

“There you are! Hello Starlight, you certainly gave everyone a scare.”

_Steven_ was scarred. His eyes started leaking and blurring, though he was already so thirsty, and hungry too.

”s-sorry?” He hadn’t meant to scare anyone? Were they like spiders, more scared of him than he was of them then? That’s what his Dad always said, but then if a spider stepped in the van he would freak out.

“We’re all just thrilled to see you safe and sound.” So she _was_ a super hero? Steven was getting mixed messages here.

“I-I’m scared-“ he began, through little sobs as he tried to get back through the wall. She ignored all this, smiled at him with her huge eyes and a large diamond on her forehead.

“As for this latest little ‘game’ of yours, thank the stars it’s over. Did you have fun. Did you get everything out of your system.” Though they were questions, Steven thought, she didn’t seem to warrant an answer.

“Wh-what game-?” Was this all a game? Would he be allowed home soon then?

“Good, good, everyone is so relieved.” She smiled. Her lips were dark black, like her cape. “Welcome home Pink.” 

Home? But he wasn’t in the van, or with Garnet, or Amethyst or Pearl? Was... would he have to stay _here_?

Another bubble caught him, Steven would have been more excited if he wasn’t crying and fearful. When it popped he was back in the tall pink room with the small creatures and the many corners and the loneliness. 

And, for the first time he noticed that when he looked out of the window he could see a large head, looking a lot like the scary lady he had just talked to.  
And It felt like it was looking right at him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little time skip. Steven is being trained as a Diamond, but also gets some time off in between the lessons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

7 year old Steven sat stiffly on the giant throne, feet dangling no where near the ground. The little while balls that floated above his shoes bobbed about, seemingly rather happy. They were the only ones who were.

“No, no, this will not do. Why can’t you make yourself any larger Pink? This form is infuriating me.” Yellow Diamond rubbed her temples. The training had been going so well. They hadn’t accessed her memories yet, she still thought her name was ‘Steven’ but otherwise she was learning quickly. She would sit quietly upon request (mostly), greet important guests (none as important as she was, of course) and read _some_ gem.

“I-I can’t.”

“No stuttering.”

“Yes Yellow.” It was so hard though, Yellow just scared him so much. It was nearly impossible not to fidget or stutter when sitting in her direct line of sight. She peered at him, happy in some strange way with his progress.

“I think you’ve earned some time in your garden, Pink.” 

Oh yes! Steven loved the garden. It was so _open_ , unlike the restricting, suffocating walls of the palace. That was also where Spinel was! She always got super upset when he left, and always loved to play. She could be a bit... temperamental. She’d pounced on Steven when she learned who he was, seemingly happy to see him, but then it changed to frustration when he couldn’t remember her, and then anger because he’d left her? Steven often found that people were upset because he couldn’t remember them. Apparently his time on the planet earth had damaged his gem internally, causing him to lose his memories. His form was permanently altered too, and he’d encased himself in a human? That was why he needed to eat and sleep and stuff, though only the Diamond’s and one or two others knew this. He still called himself Steven though.

Somehow it just seemed right. 

His faint memories of earth included a short Amethyst, a fusion, a Pearl, a human and giant oceans. None of that seemed bad, even the fusion. He wasn’t sure what fusion was exactly, just that it was called ‘bad’ by his Diamonds. All his faded memories of that fusion had seemed happy though. If he ever saw a fusion (was it a weird looking gem or something?) he’d try talk to it or something. Maybe it would be friendly?

Spinel was his best, and only, friend. She could stretch her arms and bend about too. She wasn’t allowed on Homeworld much, because she was ‘accident prune’, whatever that meant. They wanted to get rid of her, but she was so fun! ~~Mostly~~.

She always had new games to play. In turn he’d introduced her to tag and hide ’n’ seek, which he was sure he’d played with the short Amethyst and a human with weird yellow hair on earth, who was about his age. Maybe? Maybe not though, he was apparently thousands of years old.

“1... 2... 3.... 4.... 5.... ready or not! Here I come!” Spinel sprung into action, quite literally.

The garden was dark, there were cracks and holes in it. But the plants that, when he’d first seen it with Blue, were all shrivelled and wilted were now growing and looking happy again. They had planted some fruit trees there for Steven’s ‘ridiculously human’ needs. The garden even had an atmosphere, so the air was a lot less stale than it was on Homeworld. He needed to breath too. It was to do with his gem being damaged. 

Possibly. 

(Steven also had overheard the other diamond’s discussing how he could be part human? He didn’t know too much about humans. Perhaps he could speak with Blue next time he saw her about going to the zoo she’d talked about?)

“Found you!” Spinel cried, pulling Steven out from a lush green bush. “Now my turn!” She smiled.

Sometimes her smiled just looked forced, like she didn’t want to be happy and playing with Steven. Now was one of those times. Her tear lines looked especially exaggerated, and she kept tugging at her ponytails.

“Are you ok?” 

“Yes Stevie!” Oh, that was about thing. She called him Steven, like he wanted to be called. It was nice.

“Are you sure?”

...

“Promise you won’t leave me.” She burst out, wrapping her arms around the child after a short silence.

“I have to go back some time, but yes, I’ll always come back Spinel.” He hugged her back, peering down at her love heart gem, pointy side looking down. Sometimes it was up. Others it was down. It was like Spinel was two different gems sometimes. One that loved him, wanted to play with him and have fun, begging him to stay and play, to not leave her alone. Another that hated him, would ignore him, lash out at him, causing him to want to avoid the garden for at least cycle. The ignoring was always the worst though.

Sometimes the garden was _just_ as lonely as Homeworld.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> (Also, if anyone reads my other fanfic, Spring’s Universe, I am still writing it, sorry I haven’t posted another chapter in awhile, I’ve been really into this one at the moment!)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another peek into how the gems have been holding up. They’ve been doing... great?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter, I have a longer one that I’ll be posting soon though, so hopefully that’ll make up for it! :)

Down at the temple, on earth, everything was going absolutely great. It _was_. 

It wasn’t not like Amethyst disappeared for weeks on end into her room filled with junk or out living as a human.

Or like Sapphire and Ruby hadn’t even tried to reform after their latest argument (that had occurred several months ago, at least.)

It wasn’t like Pearl had put the fence back up. And the sign. Without the polite ‘please’. 

It wasn’t like they’d kind of just stopped searching for corrupted gems and bubbling them, leaving the humans to it, unless the gem literally showed up at the temple door.

It was _not_ like Pearl was falling apart because she’d lost her precious ~~Rose~~... ugh... Steven. 

It wasn’t like she’d shouted at Greg and told him never to come back again, and it wasn’t like he’d listened and she hadn’t seen him in at least 2 years now. 

It wasn’t like she had secretly stolen one of Steven’s shirts, and it wasn’t like she’d ever worn it either, crying so much that it became so wet it looked like it had just come out of the ocean. 

It wasn’t not like she’d discovered that gems in fact could get dehydrated if they cried long and hard enough. 

It wasn’t like she was reacting worse than when Rose had given herself up to have Steven. Pffft. Nope. Everything was absolutely fine. Nothing was wrong at all. Nothing. At. All.

~~At least when Rose had left she’d given them something in return. Something to remind them of her. Steven had gone without a trace.~~ It had been _3 years_ and still there nothing. No sign of him at all. Not that Pearl had been keeping track, or thinking about it constantly. Of course not. 

It wasn’t like that at all.

Because, as the saying goes, there’s no ‘I’ in denial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that you enjoyed! Seems like Steven hasn’t missed much, apparently nothing has happened...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven misbehaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Warning: there is a very brief (and I mean very brief) mention of blood but if you are very sensitive you don’t have to read (I’m not descriptive but didn’t want to upset anyone by not warning).  
> Also warning there is mentions of neglect and mistreat in this chapter.

“Pink! This is _unacceptable_!” Yellow scooped him up in one hand, squishing 9 year old Steven terribly. 

“Sh-she was just so lonely, I-I...”

“No. Stuttering. And I do not care for the feelings of an unimpressive _defective_ Spinel. _You_ are supposed to set an example!” She reminded him, gesturing around the empty ballroom, containing only him and Yellow. Oh. And her Pearl too, he almost forgot about her, she was always at Yellow Diamond’s side. As a Pearl should be, he supposed. He wasn’t supposed to speak to the Pearl’s really, so it was hard to remember they were even there sometimes.

Ok, no stuttering, he could do this...

“Yes Yellow Diamond. Sorry.”

“What were you thinking? Spinel is completely _banned_ from the palace, she is to stay in the garden, in her _place_.”

He was thinking that it would be fine, Spinel didn’t destroy the garden, why would Homeworld be any different? He was thinking that she could make it a little less lonely, she could make some jokes and make him giggle.

He wasn’t thinking that she would somehow manage to launch 12 red eye’s to random coordinates, on top of just general mess and destruction.

None of that mattered anyway!

“S-she’s my best friend!” She’d get so lonely! And if she was lonely then she became angry, and if she became angry she may not want to see Steven anymore!

“Ugh... is it possible that you are _worse_ than before? I should just order her to be shattered.”

“No! P-please!” Yellow’s lip twitched in annoyance. 

“ _You_ do not order _me_ around Pink. You will be punished for this blatant disregard of the rules!” Steven trembled in her hand. What this time? More verbal lashings? Being banned from the garden? ~~Getting White to remove his gem, to bring out his ‘diamond’ side, so he’d act better?~~ She marched him to a part of the palace he was unfamiliar with, tall and grey, reminiscent of a prison cell. “I promised Blue that I wouldn’t do this, but you have been asking for it for such a _long time_.” Then Yellow actually threw him, so he landed in a little crumple on the cold, hard floor.

“W-what?” Gingerly he picked himself up into a shaky sitting position. Thankfully, he’d only gained a small but nasty looking scrape on his ankle, no longer than his hand. It was bleeding a tiny bit too, making Steven wince. He’d have to ask the pebbles to make him socks or a bandage to wear for the next few days. Having a cut or bruise always freaked everyone out, and he’d end up being told off for leaving ‘organic drippings’ everywhere.

“You will stay in here until you can act more like a DIAMOND!” The huge door shut behind her. So. Maybe he couldn’t ask the pebbles to make him a bandage or socks or something.

Wow. It was so quiet. And cold. And dark.

This was fine, it was no different to his room, really. 

(Only there he had the pebbles, his bed, his dresser, his shelf of things he had collected. Here it was just. Empty.)

Steven had thought that he was lonely in his room, or just whenever he wasn’t with his friend Spinel in general... but now? 

This was just lonely.

This was just empty.

This was just dark and cold and scary.

He was completely alone.

The room was so big, so how come the walls kept edging closer?

He was shouting, screaming, **begging** to be let out. For a chance! Couldn’t anyone hear him? How dare they leave him? How dare they trap him?

Couldn’t they see he was scared?

How long had it been? He was really thirsty, but guessed that he wasn’t able to get water any time soon. At least one day? Steven found it easier to measure in human times, though he couldn’t really remember earth. Force of habit, he guessed. It was odd. He still couldn’t access his actual memories, only gaining new ones.

When would they get him? Would he just be alone forever and ever? 

Steven would never disobey them again, he could act like a Diamond, and perhaps regain his lost memories? That would impress them, that would make them love him, surely. He could get them to love him, for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness I just reread this, I’m sorry for the many grammatical/spelling errors that were there. I have corrected them now though. :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven is let out, but has to do something to prove he will finally start acting like a Diamond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you enjoy! 
> 
> Also thanks everyone for taking your time to read this, especially thanks for the Kudos and comments. ;D

Footsteps. Light, but somehow powerful. Blue Diamond? Steven quickly rushed to the door, begging to be let out. His legs weren’t quite ready to walk after sitting for so long, so he ended up flopping over instead. “Blue! Blue! P-please let me out! T-tell Yellow Diamond I’ll be g-good, p-please!” The door swooshed opened to reveal an angry Blue Diamond. She was rather the softest on him of all three Diamonds, but could get angry or sad, just like the rest of them. He assumed. He barley saw White, ~~thankfully~~. Though Blue _was_ renowned for shattering when she was sad or displeased. So perhaps being the ‘softest’ didn’t mean anything.

“I _cannot_ believe you! Letting Spinel into the palace! You know that she is dreadfully unstable, and defective! She should have been shattered...” Her blue hair, usually in an almost perfect raindrop like fashion, was a bit frazzled, as if she’d been running her fingers through it, the same way Steven did sometimes. She frowned, quietly (but rather spitefully) adding “Perhaps that’s a good idea...”

“N-no! Please! It was my fault! Please don’t shatter her! Just let me out! P-please!”

“You’re right, she’s far too valuable, perhaps we will just use a rejuvenator on her. Old technology, but it would do the job. I’ll ask Yellow where she keeps one.” A what? 

Blue suddenly left that train of thought and looked accusingly back at Steven. “I can’t believe you though Pink, you know better. I always told Yellow we shouldn’t put you in here again, but I’m starting think it may be necessary...” Again? This would happen again? Had this happened before?

“N-no please! I can be a Diamond! I can be like you Blue, please! D-don’t lock me in here alone again, please!” He stood up, wobbling desperately. Steven had gotten plenty of sleep, but the lack of food seemed to have rendered him rather weak.

“I suppose you require human sustenance...” she seemed to roll her eyes, though she had her back to Steven, so it was hard to tell. She was peering out of the lone window of the room, almost wistfully, as if she were the one trapped in there, not Steven. She slumped a bit, blue hair slipping in front of her face, tears slipping down her cheeks, making Steven follow suit, despite how dehydrated he felt. “You are _worse_ than before. I _thought_ we could regain your memories Pink! I thought you could finally grow up! Have a Pearl again, have colonies like us!” Tears continued to roll down her cheeks in despair.

“D-don’t cry Blue! I-I’ll be a Diamond, I promise! I w-won’t make mistakes again, p-please let me out!” His tears were just as much her’s as they were his own now.

“Are you trying to trick me? So I’ll cave and let you out? Well, not this time. Not until you apologise for being that defective Spinel into the palace, and promise to never do it again.”

“Yes! I’m sorry! I p-promise! P-please!” She looked at him, barring into his eyes with her own diamond pupils. The pale blue miasma slowly faded, and she looked at him cooly, looking as if she were trying to read his mind for any chance of a lie.

“One more chance Pink. _One_ more.” 

“T-thank you Blue! I-I’ll do whatever you ask!”

She smiled. “Ok Pink, I’ll give you a chance to prove it.”

* * *

He couldn’t. Not to Spinel. 

He was ‘defective’ too, he’d heard the other diamonds say so!

But he was a diamond, and he had to prove it. 

Yellow’s room was filled to the brim with bubbles, seemingly of experiments containing shattered gems. One, though, contained a perfectly intact heart. This one resided over the diamond’s throne, hovering ominously. Yellow popped her bubble, allowing the gem to drop to the floor in front of Steven. Almost immediately the gem began to glow, despite having taken a direct hit from the Diamond herself. It lifted, starting the right way up and then flipping several times, before settling on the right direction, if only slightly askew, so it may have been easily mistaken as being horizontal, not upwards.

“Steven! There you are! I’m sorry I got mad I... umm... Steven?” Her form hadn’t changed, the same worn clothes, messy ponytails, black tear lines streaking her cheeks. She peered at _Steven’s_ form in horror. He wore the same pink outfit he always wore, the one Pink did, before she thought she was human, before she felt that she was Steven now. It had been altered slightly for Steven. The sleeves slightly more loose, for comfort’s sake, and back a little more raised, so it went up to his neck instead of stopping halfway down his back. They’d also added pockets, as he was too small to hold some things, and too young to have a Pearl carry it for him. They wanted to wait until ‘Pink’ had her memories for that. The thing that shocked her was that he also looked completely exhausted and shaken up, his hair was now just a curly mop, eyes half-lacking their sparkle, carrying tired bags underneath them. And he was holding a strange weapon, glowing with power. 

Aimed toward.... Spinel. His best friend... 

“Steven? What’s going on?” He looked like his little heart just broke a little more at her words. 

“I’m sorry.” He muttered, swinging the scythe toward her, slicing her clean in half before proofing her, leaving her heart gem to fall to the floor with an unsettling ‘clink’. All before she could switch to being angry. 

It was a bit horrific to watch.

He’d just cut his best friend in half, erased her memories. Possibly forever? She wouldn’t remember playing tag with him, or that he liked to be called Steven, not Pink, or that they shared his fruit sometimes, or their secret talks about the other Diamonds, giggling and making bad impressions of them. She wouldn’t remember their friendship at all...

He was Diamond, he shouldn’t feel so bad. It was fine, Spinel would be back soon, and she’d be back to her original settings, she wouldn’t remember the pain she’d suffered. It was a good thing, wasn’t it? He was _helping_ Spinel.

Blue and Yellow smiled at him. Proud of him. For cutting his friend in half. “There is our little Diamond.” Yep. Their little Diamond. Steven could be a Diamond, this would be fine. “Perhaps it isn’t too soon to get you another Pearl, Pink. I’ll speak to White next time I have the chance.” 

This was what he wanted, to be free and not alone, this was fine, Spinel wouldn’t have any bad memories anymore! ~~Or at all.~~

The gem began to glow, rising up with the heart completely straight, not even slightly crooked as Steven was used to. Her hair was pulled into two cute little heart shaped buns, not spiked ponytails. Her cheeks remained completely unblemished. The extensive non-threatening friendly look just made Steven feel scared and unfriendly toward her. This wasn’t Spinel, but it had been...

Immediately she jumped onto Steven, knocking over the 9 year old immediately, wrapping her long arms around him.

“I’m so excited to meet you!” She giggled. 

_No_. Spinel wasn’t like this, this wasn’t his Spinel. She didn’t knock him over, she just hugged him, often crying, when he returned (when she wasn’t in a bad mood). “You must be my BEST FRIEND!” She seemed to almost float as she said this, happily giggling. She bounced up and down on her feet, enjoying the attention of three of the diamonds peering at her. She stretched her arms into three diamond salutes, gaining smiles from two of them, and small quiet chuckles from their Pearls. At least that was slightly more Spinel like, but the vacant, innocent expression was so _not_ his Spinel.

“There, much better. Why didn’t you do this in the first place Pink?” Yellow rolled her eyes, before moving off to do something else.

“Have fun Pink. I’ll make sure to speak to White. Go off to your garden now.” So that was it? Delete her personality and memories then just... move on? 

Should he be surprised? They _were_ Diamonds.

But so was he.

Steven slipped the small handle that the rejuvenator scythe has retracted into. Maybe it would be useful in the future. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven gets a (temporary) Pearl!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you are all well, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“Pink Diamond, the perfect, radiant White Diamond requires your presence in her room, with immediate effect.” Steven looked up from his meal of a juicy purple fruit. White Diamond wanted him? In her room? He hadn’t seen her since he was... Perhaps 8, or maybe 7. 

**No** , he shouldn’t be measuring in human cycles around the sun, he was thousands of those old! Why did he keep doing that? 

The fact he hadn’t had any memory of that for 10 years was just slightly worrying. The other diamonds rolled with it, though they frequently got annoyed with him because of it. He’d also been ordered to tell no one about his ‘organic shell’, as it may cause unnecessary worry and rumours, the Pearl’s, who were known to secretly gossip, would have a field day, though it was technically treason to speak against a Diamond, such as himself. Even Spinel didn’t know, though she really didn’t know much of anything now. Instead of being kept in the garden she was kept in Steven's ‘playroom’. It looked, to him, just like an indoor version of the garden. With more walls. 

_So many more walls_. 

Blue had _said_ it was to keep him close and safe.

Steven guessed it was actually just to keep an eye on him; she was worried he’d run away again. Where in the galaxy would he even run away to?

He even called himself Pink now, with no Spinel to remind him of his precious previous name. The other diamonds had been unamused when they’d caught him trying to get Spinel to call him Steven after she’d been rejuvenated. They didn’t want her ‘encouraging’ him.

He would hate to admit it but... he visited her only when he felt at his loneliest now.

It was hard knowing _he’d_ done that to her. He wasn’t supposed to feel bad for _anything_ he did (unless the other diamonds disapproved), but he could help it sometimes. It felt like he was just using her.

Oh, right, White Diamond’s Pearl.

“W-why?” He mentally slapped himself. A Diamond doesn’t stutter, a Diamond doesn’t get scared. 

“Pink Diamond, the perfect, radiant White Diamond requires your presence in her room, with immediate effect.” She repeated, same smile, same voice. He’d never get over how creepy the white Pearl looked. Why did White put up with her? Maybe she was really nice? 

She moved forward, sliding across the floor as if she had wheels under her feet. That again just screamed creepy.

The dreaded bubble encased them both, startling Steven tremendously. Once upon a time he had enjoyed it, just a little. Now those long lost memories of trips to the grand head caused him to quiver in fear. He’d be fine, it was fine, he’d be fine... he was a Diamond, nothing could hurt him.

He’d been acting like a Diamond, had he not? He’d attended all the lessons, mastered reading in gem glyph, ordered a disobedient Peridot and off colour Amber to be poofed and bubbled (that one had gained him many smiles of approval, though they’d clearly prefer he shatter them). So why did he feel so scared that she would choose to ‘bring out his diamond side’ quite... literally.

Eventually the bubble popped, and he was in the room again. 

It was like White Diamond hadn’t even moved, she seemingly spent her entire life spying on Homeworld, ensuring it’s perfection could match up to her own. She was much larger than Steven remembered, which went against all logic as he was actually taller now, and she glowed brighter than he recalled. And her inky black nails were much sharper. 

Perhaps talons would be a better word to describe them?

“Pink, there you are.” She smiled, tapping her nails impatiently on her knee, as if she had somewhere else, somewhere _better_ , to be. “How have you been?”

“I-“

“Good, good. I have a surprise for you, Pink.”

“R-really?” Wow, he got to say a whole word. 

“Yes Pink. You can have your old Pearl back. At least, until we get you a new one.”

_Old_ Pearl? He used to have a Pearl? Well... maybe it was before he lost his memories, what Blue fondly referred to as one of his ‘Lost treasures’, something he’d apparently hidden away somewhere. Even from himself, apparently. “I will manage until we can find a suitable replacement. Don’t let me down Pink.” She spoke very patronisingly, as if Steven could possibly feel _any_ smaller standing under her giant form. “Pearl. You will work for Pink now, until her new one arrives, should only be a year or so.”

The white Pearl eerily appeared by her side, unblinking, expression unwavering. 

“Thank you White Diamond.” The Pearl’s mouth, much to Steven’s absolute horror, moved exactly in time with White Diamond’s, her head tilting in the same way, mouth pulled into the same impossibly long and unnerving smile. 

“W-w-what?” He felt sick. She wasn’t just commanding her Pearl to do things... she was _literally_ controlling her? 

Like some kind of gem puppet?

Could she control Steven too? 

_Was_ she controlling him? 

At _this_ moment was he only doing things because he was controlled by her? 

Would he remember if he was controlled? 

Was he, Pink Diamond, just a puppet for White Diamond? Was she controlling Blue Diamond or Yellow Diamond too? Their Pearls? Spinel? The Topaz guards? The elite gems he rarely saw? Was **everyone** controlled by this giant being?

Very suddenly the Peal dropped like a stone onto her face, the bright white washing off of her, starting with the shiner gem at her navel and tracing up her body, leaving behind beautiful soft pastel pinks. 

“Ugh...” she rubbed her cracked eye, face pulled into a confused frown that perfectly fit her own face. “What happened? Where am I?” Her voice was soft and friendly. Not loud and demanding, as it had once been. It sounded faintly familiar, but still somehow completely new. She looked at her hands and soft mesh poofy skirt, trying to remember where she was. 

“H-hello?” Steven offered his hand to help her up but White frowned at his non diamond-like actions. 

Pink Pearl’s arms were a darker pink, and her legs, and she had an even darker pink kind of top. Her skin, or whatever the gem equivalent of skin was, was white, but her eye a light pink. Like one Of Steven’s own, if he recalled correctly. 

There were not any mirrors in the palace, or windows he could see out of, but sometimes he could peek at his reflection in water, or a window when we was lifted up. His hair was brown naturally, due to his organic form, but Blue Diamond’s Pearl had found some sort of dye that kept a few curls a nice bright pink. She also cut his hair when it got too long, as he didn’t like in in his eyes like she did. The Diamonds were not quiet about their dislike of his organic form, and made him feel a little self conscious about it. Maybe he’d have to try shapeshifting like Yellow always told him to. 

“Pearl. You belong to Pink again, for the time being.” Then she snapped her fingers impatiently, encased them in another bubble and they were back in his room within a few seconds. 

No explanations, no apologies for controlling her. Just... pushing her out. 

And him too.

“Wow...” Pink Pearl looked around the room in a daze, admiring it. Steven had gotten the Pebbles to build him a shelf in one corner, which he kept all his belongings on, this included:

  * A bubble containing the human clothes he was wearing when he got there. He hadn’t worn them, that would be unreasonable, but he liked to have them there, so he didn’t forget why he didn’t have his memories.



  * A portable research and communications device in the shape of a small diamond, suitable for contacting the other diamonds or practicing gem glyph. 



  * An organic plant in a small pot which refreshed oxygen and looked pretty when it flowered. He also hid the rejuvenator thingy under it. (Better safe than sorry.)



  * A few small pebble houses. 



  * A spare outfit



He also had a desk, little bathroom built in on the side and this kind of shelf-bed opposite the large window. The window he kept open all the times, though White’s ‘head ship’ creeped him out on occasion.

“Pink! It looks lovely in here!” She smiled, though clearly she was also a little distressed. “W-what happened to your form?” 

“Oh... umm... I’m half organic? I lost all my memories too. S-Sorry.” Surely it was fine to tell his own Pearl, he could always order for her to not say anything.

“Don’t be silly Pink, we can make new memories together!” She giggled happily, mouth smiling in a much more natural way. She was a bit like Spinel was now, innocent and friendly, but less excitable and crazy. He didn’t want to be rude but...

“Do you remember what happened? W-when W-W-White was controlling you?”

“Nope. All that time just... bloop, gone.” She shrugged and smiled as she said it but her cracked eye almost looked a little... worse? 

“I guess you don’t remember h-hurting your eye in the first place” He didn’t want to sound rude, but was really enjoying the company. Any conversation was a good one, he thought. It was so lonely in the palace, even with the pebbles. Not so bad as the ‘punishment room‘, which he’d had more than enough time in for his liking. 

Maybe if he knew what caused it he could fix it, White might like that. 

“Ohh, no, no. This if from before. Wow, you really don’t remember, do you Pink?” She spoke softer when she said this. Almost fondly.

“She h-hurt you before she was controlling you?” Steven was shocked. Did that mean she would hurt him too?

“What-? Oh stars, what a misunderstanding!” She smiled. “This was all from you.”

Steven took a step back in shock.

From him. From _him_? He had hurt her, cracked her face? 

Oh no. He was horrible. He was _just_ like the other diamonds.

Did everyone feel as scared as he did when he saw the diamonds when he walked into a room? Did they have nightmares about him, Pink Diamond? 

“M-m-me?” He’d hurt Spinel, but at least he remembered that. But he’d hurt this Pearl and couldn’t remember it. Didn’t even _care_ enough to know about it, or even think about it! He was a monster! “I...” he felt sick. This wasn’t right, he did this? “I’m so... so sorry!” He crumpled into the ground on his knees, all lessons such as ‘Diamonds don’t apologise to lesser lifeforms’ escaping his mind in an instant.

“No, it’s fine!” She insisted. Then faltered. “It really is you Pink.” No other diamond, no, _no other gem_ would apologise to a measly Pearl.

“I’m so sorry...”

Sometimes (and only on _very_ rare occasions) he was glad that he couldn’t remember who he used to be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way I will continue to refer to Steven as ‘Steven’ though he thinks of himself as Pink Diamond now, as it’s easier and less confusing.  
> That you for reading! Feel free to leave any constructive criticism if you want!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven meets the off-colours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes! I’ve been waiting for this chapter. Not only will it be very important to the storyline but I love the off colours! Padparadscha is my favourite gem other than. Well. Steven, I think. She’s so sweet. I wish we’d gotten a whole episode centred around her! Also Steven is 12 now. He’s getting closer to the Steven we know and love from season 1, but so different at the same time! He’s still quite friendly as you will see, just scared and shy.

Steven was rarely allowed outside the palace. It was so large that it provided ample space for him, Yellow and Blue, as well as all the gems that worked for them. Agates, Rubies, Zircons, you name it. Any ‘Elite‘ or ‘common’ gem type would be hidden there somewhere, or have at least visited in the past. There were less gatherings of large groups of gems in Era 2, but there were still guards everywhere, along with the odd Sapphire ready to predict something, or an Aquamarine getting a direct mission. Not that Steven was allowed to see them, mainly due to his glitching memories and ‘horrific’ form. They wouldn’t want to upset anyone, would they?

Plus, there was no immediate need for him to leave, he had no colonies to oversee, no gems to punish. 

So it was an amazing secret treat when Pink Pearl decided that she’d sneak him out for a day!

Yellow was busy with some new planet, Blue was off somewhere doing who knows what and, as always, White was in her head.  
He was lonely, as always, and feeling dreadfully trapped in the confines of his pink room.

Steven and Pink Pearl, whom he liked to call Coral, after a trip to the ‘reef’ where she was unfortunately unable to be healed (the only other time he’d been allowed to leave since his garden was no longer in use), somehow managed to just walk out the front door like it was nothing. He’d only had to scan his hand and the doors just opened without a second thought.

Why on Homeworld hadn’t he just done this before?

Homeworld was _so_ huge. He knew it, of course, he’d _seen_ it from his window, and he wasn’t formed _yesterday_ , Homeworld just had to be big and great. But seeing it in person, from close up too, was truly impressive. The air was very thin and stale, much to Steven’s dismay. He was fine, but he kept yawning and finding it a little difficult to breath. The palace had plants (specifically for him), but was also more closed off. Somehow it must almost have made its own sort of atmosphere or something?  
Perhaps the lack of air was due to how high up they were. Maybe the air was somehow better down there, on the ground. Under one of the buildings seemed to be a deep crevice, the perfect and hopefully _secluded_ place to take an air break.

So Coral took him down in one of the many little ships hidden away in the loading bays. She made the journey very interesting, pointing out different buildings and making jokes.

And then their little bubble of happiness popped. 

They landed on hard ground and opened up the doors to have an eager look around.

It was bleak, grey and barren. Millions upon of holes lined the walls and pillars which all shot up in every different direction, defining gravity as if it were nothing. It was like a maze almost. Most holes were perfect, like the one Coral herself had come out of. Long and rounded, with a good shape for a gems head. One or two though were a bit off. Coral dreaded the idea of meeting such gems. 

But that was all their was down there. Holes, holes and more holes. So many holes. It was making Steven a bit dizzy, to be honest. Like all the walls were closing in, just like in his ‘punishment’ room.

Ok, take a deep breath...

But the grey dirt got stuck in his horribly organic throat, causing him to cough. It wasn’t just the dirt that was grey, it was _all_ grey, as if someone had somehow managed to suck all the colour and life out of these canyons. The star that Homeworld orbited around gave no light this far down, it’s rays only managing to lick the very top holes.

“W-What is this place?” He whispered. This felt like a whispering occasion, for some reason. The mighty holes stared down at him, crushing his newfound sense of freedom.

“I... don’t know. An old kindergarten, most likely.” Coral giggled. “Yellow would probably hate us being down here!” She was the best at making Steven laugh, and he couldn’t help but giggle at the oddly humorous but horrific image of Yellow Diamond seeing him out and about, in a secret place that even Pearl didn’t know about. 

“-it safe?” Steven’s sharp ears caught a whisper to his left. 

“Coral?” He whispered urgently, pointing to one of the holes.

She put a finger to her lips, clearly as terrified and surprised as her diamond was. If this was some kind of forgotten kindergarten then why would there be gems in it?

Steven saw her shocked and surprised face.

Right. He was supposed to be the brave one.

“W-Who goes there? P-please don’t hurt me..” he couldn’t help but add.

A small red head poked out behind the closest hole, a light illuminating from the gem’s centre.

“Don’t worry.” 

“You’re safe now.” Another head poked out, and as the light became brighter they saw that these two different heads? They were from the same gem.

“We’re not gonna hurt you.”

“Whoaaaah!” Coral jumped back, causing the gem... gems? The... off colour in front of her to flinch. She’d heard of off-colour gems; gems that wouldn’t fight, refused direct orders or just... came out wrong. But she’d never seen one in person before. 

“R-really?” Steven seemed afraid, but not more afraid than he usually did. Which Coral thought was odd. This thing had two heads. They needed to get away, they needed to report all this to the diamonds. If she didn’t she’d surely be put right back under White’s control. 

Why on Homeworld did she decide to take her diamond out again?!

She knew why, really. Pink had been so sad and lonely recently. For some reason he always felt very guilty after seeing Spinel and avoided her as much as he could without also offending her. He tried to keep up with what the Diamonds expected of him, but was too small, Even smaller than before. She’d been told that Pink was found on earth, believing that he was a half organic life form. Clearly, he was traumatised by his time on earth, poor thing. 

Now, though, he seemed just a little traumatised by the other diamonds. He did everything that he possibly could to please them but often fell short, or let his compassion get the best of him. He was terrified of them, clearly. It was like he was always walking on tender hooks, trying his best not to offended them. 

Steven was also always so down after being punished. He could sit huddled in the corner of his room for awhile after, quietly crying, or not saying anything as if he was still in the room. They (Coral and the pebbles) learnt to leave him be when he was like that, eventually he’d calm down and trying to talk to him was fruitless. They could just sit with him while he calmed down. He hated small spaces and being alone. Pearl’s were not built to protect, and Pink had always looked after her. Well, occasionally she’d hurt her, but it was an accident. Now it was Coral’s turn. (Oh she loved that nickname. Pink may have lost his memories but she was the same in so many ways. They still had lots of fun when he wasn’t in punishment or trying to please the other diamonds.)

Occasionally Pink got angry now too, but he was never angry at her beloved Pearl. It was always at himself, for being too ‘organic’, or defective or not enough like a diamond. 

Sometimes she wished she could do what she’d heard Pink’s second Pearl had done. Whisk her away to somewhere she would want to spend her whole life! Though Pink having no memories and an odd form would probably defeat the purpose of that one. 

So instead a trip around Homeworld was in order. She and Pink always got up to fun mischief. 

Only this wasn’t fun, this was terrifying!

“I-I think it’s ok Coral.” Unusually calm he took a step towards them. (It? Her?) “N-nice to meet you?”

“Get back in here!” Another voice whispered.

“How bizarre.” One head commented, putting her hand up to her chin in a curious manner. “What are they?”

“This one certainly doesn’t look like a gem we’ve ever seen before.” The other one added, pointing at Steven, who stepped back again. 

Oh stars, they already hated him. 

“What are you? Where are we?” Coral asked, pointing at one of the heads. She was so scared, but didn’t want her Diamond to get hurt. She’d bought him here, she’d get him out.

“This is somewhere long forgotten.”

“Where those who don’t belong. Belong.” 

“It’s ok to come out!” 

“Oh thank goodness. I hope they’ve gone!” A tall gem slipped out a hole, with poofy black hair, two sets of eyes, two sets of arms... and... two gems? 

“Wow...” Steven had only ever seen Ruby guards fuse if someone tried to get into the palace. He’d never seen any other gems fuse. But this... wasn’t like any gem he’d seen. A new gem? A mix of two _different_ gems? Wait... hadn’t Blue Diamond mentioned punishing a ‘cross fusion monster before’? This didn’t _look_ like a monster.

“Did you double check?” Then she gasped. “They’re still here!!!!” 

“H-hi! Don’t worry. We a-are just lost.” Steven offered, not noticing Coral’s frantic ‘Stop’ gestures. He may be a diamond but he didn’t know about the horrors of cross fusion or off colour gems. She been told ugly tales of them. One of them had helped start the rebellion with Pink, which lead to him being traumatised in the first place!

“It’s ok Rhodonite. We found them. They’re with us.” 

“Can we trust ‘em?” The fusion, Rhodonite, sounded as scared as Steven. It kind of melted his heart a bit. 

“Sure?”

“I think so. They’re both off colours, look.” 

“What’s an off colour?” Steven questioned.

“You know. Wrong.”

“Like us.”

Steven considered. He was meant to be a diamond. Big, strong, ruthless and not at all organic.  
Was _he_ an off colour?

“Everyone!” A new voice spoke from behind a Column. An orange Sapphire. Very unusual, a rare but lovely gem, usually. “A wonderous vision has appeared before me. The twins of Rutile will find one...” she considered. “No, two off-colours in our current place of hiding.” 

“We know Padparadscha, your prediction already happened!” Rhodonite annoyedly, but gently, reminded her.  
“oh.”

“So you guys just crashed down here?“ she asked, looking back at Steven and Coral’s poorly landed ship. Pearl’s aren’t really made for flying ships.

“Well-“

“L-e-t m-e s-e-e.” A large gem suddenly appeared from the shadows. It looked like a centipede, long with many eyes and legs and gems. So, _so_ many gems lined it’s whole body. “T-h-i-s o-n-e d-o-e-n-t l-o-o-k l-i-k-e a g-e-m.”

“That’s what I said!” One of the twins excitedly added.

“And I said the same thing!” 

Steven blushed.

“Let’s leave Pink-“ Coral began.

“ _No_ Coral.” He shakily turned around, terrified but intrigued. “H-hi, I’m Pink Diamond. A-and I really _am_ a ge-“

“ ** _What?!_** ” The twins recoiled, Padparadscha did nothing, the long, big fusion Immediately backed up, and Rhodonite exclaimed:

“We’re cracked.” 

“Pink, we should leave.” Coral urged, tugging at his arm.

“W-What, no! Stop! I wouldn’t hurt you!” He grabbed at the arm of one of the fleeting Rutile twins, not wanting them to leave.

“How can we trust you?”

“I have just been honoured with another vision... That gem is Pink Diamond! But... not.” Padparadscha smiled at her wondrous vision, then frowned, and walked towards Steven, who recoiled. The other off colours began to cry out to her but the orange Sapphire kept going. She stopped in front of Steven, brushing her hair away from her singular eye to peer right at him. “She’s organic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a comment, especially if you have any criticism or something, I’d love to hear how I could improve.
> 
> Edit: I’m sorry for my horrible spelling that I’ve now fixed some of. Lol, sorry!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pink Pearl, or Coral as she has been dubbed, makes the decision to tell White about what happened the day before.  
> Unfortunately the results are less than desirable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is short, the next one (I think) will be much longer.  
> Hope that you enjoy, even if it’s a little short.

“White Diamond.” Pink Pearl practically shook with fear. Oh dear, should she be doing this? 

If she didn’t tell White Diamond What has happened she’d could be shattered for lying. 

If she did she could get Steven, herself and those ‘off-colours’ in trouble. 

They didn’t _seem_ like a threat, but Coral had heard so many negative stories about them. And they’d made Pink doubt who she was, the slow one insisting that he was an organic, not just having an organic based form. She could ‘predict the past’, apparently. Pink had bought it hook, line and sinker. But surely it was just to throw doubt at him, make him want to disobey the diamonds and run away again. Even though her beloved Pink was different now she still loved her, and wanted her to protect her. This was how to do it. Right?

And... what if she was right though? Was there a way to contact those gems on Earth? The ones he’d been with before he was traumatised? Maybe they could explain the organic form and memory loss properly?

“I haven’t got all day. Give me your report and leave.” White Diamond insisted impatiently. She shone so brightly, so perfectly, that it was hard to look into her eyes. Plus she was so tall. Pearl’s neck was made of hard light, therefore it was very unlikely to be damaged by craning it to look up but that didn’t stop it from being an inconvenience.

Ok, she could do this. It was for her Diamond, right?

“I have something to report. An... incident.” She froze a bit, before letting her brilliant eyes cut into Pink Pearl with a ‘Continue.’ Face on. It was astonishing that she was allowed to speak but Pink Pearl did not relish the opportunity. Not one bit. “Yesterday we went outside-“

“You took her outside? What did I tell you about keeping her hidden?!”

“He was very bored, my Diamond. I thought I could teach him about gem culture.” Only then did she realise that _may_ have been a rhetorical question. But she cautiously continued on, after taking a shaky breath. She could almost understand why Steven liked to breathe. “We found some... off colour gems.”

“Off colours? Imperfections?! Do you mean fusions or incorrect gems? No matter, tell me. Where are they? I will have them shattered at _once_.“

“In the kindergarten directly under the palace, My Diamond-“

“I will send a few gems to pick them up, and send orders to Yellow and Blue. I think... I think that It’s high time that Pink Diamond had a chance to ‘fix’ some gems.”

Fix them? Did she mean...? But Pink was different now, he’d freaked out when He realised that he’d hurt Coral in the past. How would he react to being asked to shatter some gems, even if they deserved it?

Oh she was such a _clod_ (oh dear, she was starting to sound like a potty mouthed Peridot as well...), how did she think this was a good idea?  
Of _course_ they’d expect Pink to shatter those gems.  
He _wasn’t_ ready for that, she was sure of it. Only... how to tell White Diamond? It was out of the question to try and change her mind... but she’d try, for her Diamond.

“I ac-“ 

“And Pearl? You will be returning to my service shortly. I have sent out a request for Pink’s new Pearl, the candidates should arrive this coming cycle. My replacement was... disappointing.” Which was odd, considering she literally controlled her Pearl’s and bent them to do her every will.

“Thank you. My Diamond.” She couldn’t help but let a tear fall from her one good eye as she was bubbled back to Steven, cracks that had slowly healed over time quickly creeping back over her face.

Then the bubble popped.

“Coral? How did it go?” Steven happily greeted Pearl, smiling a wide, happy smile. He was the only Diamond who would even think to ask how she was, it was sweet. How would he react to being asked to shatter gems? “I... I was lonely.” He admitted, quieter than the first sentence, but still there. She should have asked the pebbles to watch him, she knew he got anxious when he was alone, especially for long periods of time.

“Didn’t the pebbles stay with you?” Coral attempted to keep her voice from going all wobbly, trying to sound conversational. 

“No, I think they are having some kind of tea party.“ he frowned. Then his face lit up. “Let’s have a tea party too, Coral!” He demanded, worries forgotten. If only Coral could forget hers.

* * *

“Pink Diamond. Your presence is required in the courtroom.” Whispered Blue Pearl, having suddenly appeared in the doorway. Coral froze, forgetting the fruit Steven was begging her to try and eat as a part of there ‘tea party’. She knew what was coming up next. 

Steven did not, and happily got up, only shaking a little at the prospect of seeing his fellow Diamonds. Oblivious to the fate she had accidentally created for him.

“Come on Coral, we can’t be late.” She wanted to refuse, ask her Diamond to stay so he didn’t get hurt. But she was but a Pearl, there was little she could do to protect Steven now.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coral sends for backup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever to post and it’s short. Promise the next one will be much longer, and it should be out within a day or so! Also sorry, calling him ‘Steven‘ when it’s kind of Coral’s POV seemed weird so it’s rather inconsistent...

There was something she could do to protect Steven. Coral had never considered it an option before, but now? He needed something else, not the other diamonds, not punishment, not all this pressure. Pink needed to escape. And not just from the punishment room that he’d been banished to until further notice. He needed to get away from space. 

She’d seen him scared before, terrified even. But never _broken_. 

Surely Pink would be worse if he’d been made to shatter those wretched off-colour gems, but this was almost as bad.

She kept hearing Blue Diamond’s sharp words in her mind. 

_“This is unacceptable! Tell me where they’ve gone! They deserve to be shattered!”_

_“I d-don’t know!”_ Steven had lied profusely, stutter giving him away. They, of course, did know. Coral had simply forgotten to tell White, despite the fact one of the reasons that Pearl’s were so useful was that they could recall dates, meetings and things for their owners (but Coral was sure that hers was damaged at least _slightly_ as a result of her injury). They’d mentioned that they were headed to the left quadrant, it was a sort of testimony of their trust for her Diamond, Coral felt, that they should disclose where they were headed. The little orange one seemed especially trusting. She insisted that he was not a Diamond, he was an organic, friendly, not like those shatterers. _If only_ they had been wrong to trust him. _If only_ he wasn’t so kind. If only they hadn’t gotten so angry at him. Then perhaps that Ruby guard wouldn’t have intervened. Why were they even used in the palace in the first place? They were _so_ fiery, something was bound to happen eventually. And why had Pink been so kind to her in the past, she wouldn’t have stood up for him otherwise.

Steven had caught on so quickly, realising their intent for the off colours. The Ruby had tried to defend him. Against the _Diamonds_ no less. It really could not have possibly ended well. 

_“I’m a d-Diamond, it’s Time you treated me like one!”_ He’d insisted. _“I-I don’t have to t-tell you things I don’t want to!”_

_“Really? If it weren’t for your gem I wouldn’t even think you were Pink! You look like a hideous ‘human’.”_ Yellow sharply insisted.He’d deflated a little at that. Coral had felt terrible too. She knew what it was like to hate your form, and to be unable to change it. But Pink had been the one to help her accept her own imperfection. 

Now she was going to have to go back to White, the _most perfect_ gem of all. 

Not before she did this for her Diamond. Earth hadn’t traumatised him. Pink was traumatised by the diamonds and... well. Recent events.

_“Prove it! Prove you are Pink and not some... imposter!” Blue Diamond’s eyes lit up. “Punish this Ruby. Show me that you are a Diamond! Then we will treat you like one!”_

_“I-I-I can’t!”_

_“That’s it! White will be disappointed to hear this! I’m sure she’ll be happy to bring out your diamond side-“_ Things had gotten... fuzzy after that. But Coral knew that he seemed broken now, eyes lifeless and sad, because of whatever had happened. Pink definitely remembered. It was almost ironic. He’d finally stood up for himself, tried to stand up to the others. But it had lead to _this._ She’d had to inform him, when she brought him food in the punishment room, that she was going back to White’s service. He hadn’t cried. He’d just blinked. Like he was after being in the room sometimes, but he was in it still. Steven was just a shell of the diamond he was now.

Coral twisted the top of the small flask robonid. 

“This is an urgent message, please respond. It is regarding Pink Diamond. Blue was... wrong.” She had to whisper that, afraid someone could hear, even shut away in her diamond’s room. No-one should _ever_ speak against a Diamond. Coral was usually so bubbly and happy, but these were serious times, she needed to be quiet. “She needs Earth, she needs to be safe. Apparently there is a Pearl with you. Pink Diamond will be getting a new Pearl. If you can intercept and arrive first you can come and infiltrate the palace, and take him home. There _is_ an old galaxy warp on earth that should be able to give you access. I’ll leave it unlocked, but someone could lock it again. And Pink... She... doesn’t look like a gem, but she is Pink Diamond, you can’t miss her. I can’t help you, but I hope you will help my Diamond.” She saluted, even though this was likely to be watched by a Pearl, like herself. “Coral, out.” _Please_ let no one else intercept this before it could get to earth. She sneakily accessed the warp pad closest to earth that she could get and sent the robonoid off. Coral prayed she’d set the coordinates right. All she could do now was go back to Whit- _her_ Diamond.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven is in punishment.  
> Yellow interviews some gems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the next few inspired this whole story. I wrote them after I first watched Steven Universe. Then later I decided to write a story based around them, with more interesting plot lines and explanations. As well as comprehensible spelling. I rewrote the whole chapter, but it’s still based off that. Many of the little points, like Coral’s name etc are from that.
> 
> Anyway, hope that you enjoy reading!

Though Steven had barely reacted when Coral told him she was going back to White Diamond it made him feel horrible. Even more empty and lonely than before. Perhaps he deserved it though. He was a coward. But also a diamond. He was just like them. Did others quake when he stepped into a room, as he did with the diamonds? He wasn’t enough of a Diamond, he was too much of a Diamond, there was no proper balance. 

He missed Coral. She bought him his food and drink, usually. She had 3 minutes to do so, and spent the whole time telling jokes or encouraging him that he’d be out and with her and the pebbles soon. Then he’d usually betray them by sitting in the corner for awhile, crying. He couldn’t help it. It was like while he was in the room he was angry and sad. Once he got out he just felt desperate and quiet. He’d sit in the corner, trying to process that he was _out_. But now he felt... nothing. 

This was all his fault. If only he’d revealed where the off-colours were. But he couldn’t! That orange one especially, she was adamant that he was _not_ a Diamond. She trusted him. Even Coral didn’t always trust him, she flinched if he yelled. He wasn’t one for yelling, but occasionally he did get angry. It was almost always at himself, occasionally at the Diamonds, but never at her. 

He felt so alone.

Was this how Spinel felt? Oh, poor Spinel. But he really felt horrible looking at her. It made him feel sick. He’d reset all her memories. He knew how that felt.

Wait. 

Memories. 

Reset.

Is that what had happened to him? If he did it again, would he be back to normal? 

Steven reaches into his pocket, pulling out the small handle. He kept it on his shelf usually, but he’d slipped it into his pocket. He always had something in the pocket of his pink poofy clothes, in case he was stuck in the room. He even had some fruit in one pocket, which he changed every day. But he dare not eat it now. If Coral wasn’t his anymore would his new Pearl know to come and feed him? 

Would Blue remember to tell her?

Would Blue remember... him? 

The walls seemed to shrink even smaller, so Steven balled himself up tighter, clutching the handle of the ‘rejuvenator’. It would be so easy to press the button, and slice it though himself. But would that just re-reset his memories? 

Perhaps he wouldn’t. He could just go back to waiting. Trying to do anything to ignore his thoughts.

He was too much of an organic, much too much of a Diamond...

That trusting off-colour Sapphire’s face kept floating into his mind. “ _I trust her, she’s an organic._ ” she kept claiming, at least half a minute after they’d asked her. 

Along with the outraged Ruby’s face, blushing slightly in anger, eyes wide and wild.

Then the little red pieces, glittering the floor happily shining up at him.   
He was a Diamond, a _monster_.   
Padparadscha was wrong, _wrong_ , **_wrong_**. He _was_ like the diamonds, he wasn’t organic, he was just being stupid and forgetful.

The walls shrunk even more, he couldn’t breathe, what if he ran out of oxygen in here? Oh, why’d he not bring his plant too? Or a pebble, they’d fit in his pocket.

But no, he was alone and scared, left in this room with only one way out. Admit that he was a Diamond, the exact thing he was most afraid of. 

Perhaps he could sleep all this off...

But then again, dreams aren’t usually much better than your own thoughts.

Perhaps he could just wait and listen in case the Diamond’s came, or Coral, though that seemed cruelly unlikely now.

  


* * *

Yellow looked down at all of the possible replacement Pearls. Some of which were fresh from the ground and others had faithfully served elite gems for many, many cycles. One had even been around since Era 1, apparently.

Pros of a fresh gem: 

They could be moulded to suit their gem. Not so much as a custom made one, like Yellow’s own Pearl, but Still pretty changeable.

Cons of a fresh gem: 

They could be unprepared to serve a gem of such high rank as a diamond (even though Pink was very much the smallest and least significant diamond) and it took time to train them. They may come out of the ground knowing what to do, but each gem wanted different things from their Pearl.

Pros of a faithful Pearl:

They had experience, knowledge and knew their place, usually. Plus, they were already known to be reliable.

Cons of a faithful Pearl:

They were harder (though it was still possible) to mould to fit their new gem. (Plus their previous owners would have a field day, a diamond owning their own Pearl?! And they’d have to give that gem a new Pearl altogether. 

Yellow peered down her nose at the first of the 5 waiting gems. There were supposed to be 6. Guess what? A diamond’s Pearl shouldn’t be late. She was immediately ruled out.

The first was red. Like a common Ruby. Perhaps not.

The next was pink, like Pink’s old Pearl, only she was a deeper pink, with stark blacks outlining her poofy skirt and sleeves. She looked... too reckless. 

The third was a light yellow, with an orange dress. She held a ribbon wand too, a picture perfect Pearl, almost.

“And where are you from.” It was less of a question, more of a demand of her past. 

“I worked for Orange Agate, My Diamond.” She bent gracefully into a salute. 

Perhaps Yellow didn’t need to see the rest-

Suddenly she slipped forward, clumsily like a stocky Topaz, so unlike a dainty Pearl. It was so sudden that she almost seemed to have been pushed, but no one would dare do so right under Yellow Diamond’s face.

The next was purple, with a curly long mane of hair. She was a fresh cut, but looked perhaps too much like Rose Quartz, one of Pink’s alias’s, and Yellow didn’t want her getting any ideas. 

The last was white, her Pearl proudly displayed on her forehead, framed by light orange hair. Her dress was modest and appropriate for a Pearl.

“You. Where are you from?”

“I am a fresh cut gem, my Diamond.” Pearl tried to look innocent and happy to be serving under a depressive dictatorship in the middle of a cruel planet in deep space while simultaneously trying her hardest not to look like she was plotting to kidnap their (possibly most important) and fragile leader. She was horrible at lying, but would try, for Rose. For Steven. She’d been picked as Pink’s Pearl before, she’d do it again.

“I see.” Yellow hummed in disappointment. Pearl quickly (but meekly) added 

“I have researched into organic creatures, as I have heard that St-Pink has organic needs, so I am fully equipped to care for him, my Diamond.” Pearl silently begged her not to assume she was showing off.

“Really?” She raises an eyebrow.

“Yes, my Diamond. Organic beings require-“

“I don’t need a lesson in organics, I need a Pearl for Pink. Come.” 

“Of course, my Diamond.” The words felt so bitter on her tongue. Hundreds of years of fighting she’d gone through so that she wouldn’t have to say that. Well, and so she could be with Rose.

“Pink is your Diamond now. You will treat her as such. But she has refused to co-operate, so she is in punishment. You will being her meals, twice a cycle, and then we will go from there.”

“Punishment?”

“Yes. You will not encourage her rebellious behaviour, understood?”

“Yes, my Diamond” no my Diamond, three bags full my Diamond. She’d forgotten how this felt, before she and Pink were close. Though back then it was her only purpose, she adored Pink and wanted to please her. Yellow, not so much. 

“She is not to come out until she is ready to apologise and tell us where those gems are hiding.”

“Yes, my Diamond.” She was starting to feel like an old playing record. Did she still have one of those in her gem? She’d have to check, once they were out of here.

Homeworld was so mechanical. Every step was the same, every corridor looked the same. 

“Here.” The punishment room. Oh stars, this was actually happening. Steven wasn’t dead, they would kidnap him and take him home. Then perhaps Garnet would fuse permanently again, and Amethyst would talk to her again, and she could go on missions again, and stop feeling so bad. 

She couldn’t wait to see the child that was to be on the other side of this door.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl finally gets to see Steven!

The door to the punishment room was relatively huge, so Pearl had wondered if Steven had grown a bit. Was he perhaps as tall as Rose? As Pink? Taller? 

But no, he was quite small still. Steven was about Amethyst’s height, perhaps? He wore an outfit similar to his mother’s, and his hair was just as curly. He was sitting in a little huddle in the corner but jumped up when Pearl and Yellow appeared in the doorway.

“Y-Yellow!” He began, but then, after his eyes adjusted to the new, harsh, outside lights, he noticed Pearl. Was she just here to show him his new Pearl and then leave? Leave him... here? Alone?

“ _ **Steve**_ -Pink Diamond!” She hadn’t quite been able to hold that one in. Hopefully Yellow would just assume she was flustered because a Diamond, _her_ Diamond, was in front of her.

“I'll leave you two. You have 10 minutes. Feed him and leave. Here is the food, you bring it next time. It’s not my job to carry around after Pink. Usually you have 3 minutes, but I’ll make an acceptation..” Yellow said so like she was being truly generous, but seven minutes extra was nothing to sing and dance about. Not compared to the 8 years he had been missing.

“Thank you, My Diamond.” The door shut with a little ‘woosh’ and Pearl rushed to Steven. He looked so different, yet so familiar.

She’d never admit it but occasionally she’d use her hologram to make a picture of Steven. She’d kind of forgotten Humans could change size though, so he’d been half the size of Amethyst for almost a decade in her mind.

Since it was based off of her holopearl he could only say basic things in a robotic voice on his own, or mirror her, but it was nice.

She’d even used it to make... Rose a few times.

Pearl blinked back tears. She’d spent the entire time since Garnet (yes, not Ruby and Sapphire but the real, actual _Garnet_ ) agreed they should go preparing herself to see Steven.

Now he was right _there_.

“Oh... Steven!” She couldn’t give them away, stars knew if he’d believe her or even betray them if he knew of their plan to kidnap him, but tears kept slipping down her face and she pulled him into a tight hug. 

After a moment she regained her composure, stepping back so Steven could breathe. 

“Wh-what was that?” Steven sounded shocked, almost horrified. He blushed, perhaps angrily, perhaps in embarrassment. “Where you trying to... _fuse_ with me?!” Did that mean he was against fusion?

“No, no! It’s an earth custom. When I learnt I was to be your Pearl I... Ugh.. researched earth customs. I heard that you were part organic.” Pearl couldn’t lie very well, but Steven bought it.

“I-I’m not part organic, I’ve just got an organic form instead of a light based one. I lost all my m-memories on Earth.”

“What? Steven you think-“

“What’s a Steven? A new gem type? My name is Pink, Pink Diamond.” This wasn’t said with the pride that usually came when an higher up gem declared their rank or status. In fact he kind of crumpled a little at the statement.

“Oh, sorry, Pink Diamond.” That felt weird to say. Especially to the slight child before her, here in the dark, holding a tray with some kind of food.

“Anyway, who are you?”

“Pearl.” 

Steven furrowed his eyebrows, smiling a bit. “You need a nickname!” Pearl felt her heart melt a little. Rose loved to name things. She’d been their when they named Poodles, and had somehow gotten her say in the name, if Pearl remembered correctly.

“What did you have in mind?” 

“Hmm....” Steven looked at this new Pearl carefully. He decided not to comment on the fact she was crying. 

He was probably crying when she came in too.

Seeing Yellow and this new Pearl had sort of slapped him back into reality. He hoped he could stay like that when she had to leave.

When all his thoughts came back. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have a Pearl, what if he hurt her? Maybe he should drive her away, like Volleyball had been driven away.

Yellow had told him she couldn’t serve a diamond that helped off-colours.

Blue said that _he_ was an off-colour.

The bright red Ruby’s look of betrayal flashed before Steven’s eyes.

“No!” The new pearl stepped back. She had been right in front of him, especially after doing that earth touch thingy (it had been... nice. Gems didn’t usually touch, only gems that were fusing. Lower gems. It was uncalled for to touch another high ranking gem on purpose). 

“Steven are you ok?” Pearl took in his expression. He looked horrified.

Did he somehow remember her? See their plan to kidnap him? 

“Y-yes, sorry. Um... I c-can’t think of a n-name in here.” He lied. A million name ideas flowed through his head. Later, he could do that all later. “When I c-come out we c-can find you a n-name. If you want one. And it’s P-Pink Diamond” Pearl smiled.

She wanted to wrap him in another hug and get a good look at Rose’s gem sitting merrily in his stomach, guarded by both hands. He was hugging himself. Did he like hugging then?

Pearl wanted to tell him who she was, who _he_ was. But Garnet has warned her that he was far too unpredictable now. He could give away their plan at any given moment if he wanted to. There was no playing games with a Diamond.

“Here is your food.” It was a fairly sized orange fruit, but not the one named after the colour. There was no water. Perhaps the fruit provided that.

How much did humans need to eat? Was this enough? She’d stopped seeing Greg or any other humans for a long while. 

Amethyst, they’d discovered when they’d looked for her in the temple, still did see humans. Just not Greg. Never Greg. His falling out with the gems was large enough that they didn’t want to see him for at least 378 more years. It was kind of a customary thing.

“Th-“ he stopped. Diamond’s don’t say thank you to lesser gems. He had to prove he was a Diamond to leave.

Padparadscha’s (only slightly delayed) words suddenly rung in his ears. _“Ive been blessed with yet another wonderful vision! He’s not a Diamond, this is an organic! He’s nice! We can trust him”_

Not a diamond, a diamond... what was he supposed even be? 

“Thank you.” Steven repeated anyway. No point making this gem dislike him already. 

There was a sound not unlike a school bell, but at a rather inhuman pitch. Though she knew Steven had an organic form he seemed to hear it. Did he have any other gem like abilities? Rose’s shield? Her wonderful healing essence? “Bye! C-come right back? P-promise you won’t forget me?” He sounded a little panicked. 

Pearl wrapped him in another hug before leaving.

He’d have to get used to it happening on earth anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm... I think Steven might be having some sort of existential crisis? Idk...
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading! Sorry if it was short!


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